


Open When You're...

by Otpismyoxygen



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Birthday Presents, Established Relationship, Letters, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Pro Volleyball Player Hinata Shouyou, Pro Volleyball Player Kageyama Tobio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 05:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19311877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Otpismyoxygen/pseuds/Otpismyoxygen
Summary: More than 500 KM between them, Hinata was separated with Kageyama when he transferred to play for a new professional team. He was alone in the new city and he barely knew anyone from the team.So Kageyama wrote him sixteen letters in one package box. Letters that Hinata could only open when the situation told him to do so.





	Open When You're...

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday Hinata! I want to do something in this special day and decided that celebrating it through kagehina is the most perfect way. One day, I open Google search and type "what's a good birthday gift for lover" and the suggestion for "open when letters" gift come up and I thought OH this is so sweet! Although irl, I kinda doubt that kageyama really has the capacity to do this, but hey, who knows what someone can do for love?
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the mess of this fic.

 

“You know, his spikes actually look a lot like Bokuto-san’s and Tanaka-san’s. Now I really regret not practicing much with them.”

_“Okay, but why are you calling me again?”_

The disinterested tone from his long-time friend--best friend, actually, but Tsukishima still refused to admit it, even after seven years--could be heard clearly from the other side of the line. Hinata pouted, although he clearly knew that Tsukishima, the unlucky soul that got to be the one who listened to his morning rant today, wouldn’t be able to see it, but he bet that Tsukishima knew that he was sulking right now. And Hinata knew that Tsukishima must’ve been rolling his eyes right about now.

“Who am I supposed to talk to if I want to talk about blocking other than you, Tsukishima?” Hinata groaned.

_“I don’t know, not me? I don’t even play anymore.”_

“You still played until two years ago, and you were in the top 3 university team in Tokyo, so me asking you right now is valid,” Hinata concluded, feeling rather accomplished because his tall, salty best friend had nothing to say. His only response was grumbles at best. “Oh, is Kuroo-san there, then? Maybe you can ask him about how to blo--”

_“Tetsu is out with Yaku-san and Kenma-san, and even if he’s here, I’m not gonna ask him for you.”_

“Oooh, getting possessive, aren’t you, Tsukishima?”

_“I’m hanging up.”_

“Ah, wait, wait, Tsukki.” He almost got up from his bed, his hand reaching out as if actually trying to stop Tsukishima. Judging from how thin the wall in his dorm building was, he guessed his neighbours might hear his scream there. “I’m kidding. Don’t hang up.”

Tsukishima sighed, it was the kind of sigh that Hinata knew that it meant Tsukishima was on his wit's end. He needed to make this fast.

_“Why can’t you just call your boyfriend? Seriously, what do you want me to do?”_

Oh, that was the question that Hinata had been waiting for. “Kageyama has a morning practice today. Can’t you come here to Osaka and practice with me?”

 _“I’m_ truly _hanging up right now.”_

“Meaaaaan, Tsukishima.”

_“I don’t understand. You’re a pro-player now. You have your own amazing team. Why can’t you ask them to practice with you? There are even notable foreign players.”_

“I can’t. I’ve only been here for a week. I still don’t know them. The only one I know is blond Miya-san and Koushiro-san, the one who won the best libero title the third year we went to Nationals. Besides them, I literally know no one.”

_“Exactly. It’s only been a week. So stop panicking.”_

Hinata bit his lip as he rested his head on the headboard of his worn-out bed. His tiny team dorm room felt kind of stuffy all of a sudden, and the sound of Tsukishima’s soft breathing across the line, all the way from Tokyo, was somehow what he needed to stay grounded.

_“Don’t you breaking down on me now, Hinata.”_

“No, no, I’m not…” he trailed off, stopping when he could tell that his throat started to constrict. “You’re right, Tsukishima. It’s just that I keep on--”

The sound of a knock on his door stopped Hinata mid-sentence. His mouth formed an O as his train of thought of insecurities vanished from his mind. He hurriedly got to his feet, making a beeline toward the door.

“Oh, hold on, someone’s coming.”

_“I’m hanging up for real now.”_

“No, no, no, wait, Tsukishi--”

Even before his sentence was cut, Hinata already knew that this time Tsukishima wouldn’t stay. So he didn’t really feel dejected when all he could hear in his phone was the sound of a dead, flat line. He chuckled as he threw away his phone to the shabby-looking grey mattress, and reach for his door.

Hinata had only been here for ten days, and for the most days, he spent it outside with practice and more practice. This would be the first time he welcomed a guest to his new room since this was also his first day off.

Who could it be? The captain? Atsumu? He was already close to some of the players in the team, but he couldn’t say that he knew them as well as Atsumu. After all, Hinata had spent a year in National Youth Camp with him previously. So it wouldn’t been weird if Atsumu visited him. Or, maybe his dorm neighbours, the ones who lived beside and across his room, Yuki and Kaito? Hinata had only met them at practice and still haven’t had the time to introduce himself officially as neighbours.

When he opened the door, the dorm chief, who was also one of the managers of his team, was standing with a brown box in his hands. The thirty years old man smiled at him as Hinata opened the door a little wider.

“Yamato-san?” Hinata tilted his head. “What’s the matter?”

Did Hinata forget that there was practice today? No, he was sure there wasn’t. He might be a dumbass, but he would never forget his practice schedule.

Yamato slightly raised the box in his hold. “I’m just here to bring you this. Expecting a package?"

"I-- No, I don't think so?"

"Well, it was addressed to you," the man chuckled, giving the box to Hinata. "Here you go."

The box weighted almost nothing, but Hinata was excited nonetheless. His first package since he came here!

"Thanks, Yamato-san!"

"It's nothing. Don't forget to get your lunch, 'kay? It's almost lunch time."

By the time Hinata reached his creaking bed, he was already halfway opening his package. He couldn't wait, his heart pounded. And the name of the sender stated on the top of the box didn't make it any better.

**_From: Kageyama Tobio - Asakusa, Tokyo_ **

**_To: Hinata Shouyo - Osaka_**

Kageyama sent him a package? What was this? Why didn't he say anything?

When finally the last tape had been taken off, Hinata didn't waste any time to open the box. Whatever it was inside was definitely something he didn't expected.

Hinata blinked, taking in the sight of a bunch of envelopes. The envelopes, around fifteen to twenty of them, were kinda plain, but they were colorful. Each of them varied in white, to yellow, to pink, to orange, and many soft colors that they almost took his attention to what seemed to be more important.

The handwriting on them.

Each envelopes had different sentences on them. But all of them began with the exact same words.

**_Open When_**

Hinata took the white envelope, the one placed on the very top like it was meant to be. The envelope read **_Open When You Received This._**

Ripping the envelope open, Hinata sucked in a trembling breath as he realized what this was. They were letters. Written by Kageyama. Seriously, what was happening here?

He gulped before he started reading the familiar messy handwriting of his boyfriend.

  


**_Shouyo,_**

**_First, don't freak out. Don't frantically call me asking for explanation, and just read this 'till the end, okay?_**

**_I'm sure that you're confused but really, this is just simply me sending you unnecessary gift because I just want to. Besides, your birthday is in two months, so consider this as your early birthday gift._**

**_This is the first time we're separated since like, forever. As I'm writing this, you're only been there for four days, but you already spent most of your free time on your phone calling me. I want to say that this is hard for me too but I know damn well that you got it the hardest. Most of us are here in Tokyo or Miyagi. I hate the fact that you only have Miya-san there to rely on. But Inuoka and Konoha-san also live in Osaka now, right? Make sure to make time to meet them, alright?_**

**_So… uhm, the reason I write these letters is I figured it'll be hard for you. I can't be available 24/7 although there's nothing I want more than to be there for you anytime. I was hoping that I could give you something that can make you feel better. So I asked Yachi, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima about what I should give you, and yeah this Tsukishima's idea. He said he saw the idea in a Valentine's day gift article online. I'm surprised that he read that kind of articles though. But anyway, I've thanked him, so you don't have to. Also, the colorful envelopes was Yachi's and Yamaguchi's idea, though it's not really significant, but I'm still thankful for them. They said hi to you, by the way._**

**_This is so all over the place and my handwriting is ugly I'm sorry. But you get the point (Right?)._**

**_I named the letters Open When… so you can open them ONLY when the occasion fits. Understand? Do NOT open all of them now._**

**_I could only write you sixteen letters for now. I want to make it twenty, but… I don't have much time now, I'm going to practice and I need to send this package on the way to the gym. But I hope this gift was enough, for now._  **

**_I think I've said everything. Okay, now, if you want to call me, you can. I hope this package arrive not on my practice hour so I could answer your call when you're still fresh with excitement._**

**_I love you, Shouyo._**

**_Tobio_ **

  


Hinata reread the letters, word by word, countless of times. He absentmindedly looked inside the box and saw the sixteen letters Kageyama mentioned.

 

**_Open when you're bored. Open when you need a laugh. Open when you can't sleep. Open when it's raining. Open when you're sick. Open when…_ **

 

There were so many of them, and Hinata was dumbfounded. He just sat there, sitting in silence, before he scrambled to his feet, frantically trying to look for his phone.

"Where's my phone?!" he yelled frustratedly.

His phone was still on his bed after the last time he used it to call Tsukishima. When he found it, it took a him three times to unlock it. Judging by how much his hands shook, it was a miracle for him to even click the right contact to call.

Kageyama picked up on the second ring.

"Tobio," Hinata gasped for air. "I got your package!"

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Contrary to what Kageyama said, this wasn't the first time they were separated, technically.

Yes, this was the first that they actually had more than 500 KM of distance between them, but before this they weren't exactly attached by the hip either.

As soon as they finished high school, they were recruited by the same university team and lived together in the big city Tokyo. But Kageyama joined the National Youth Team almost immediately, although he wasn’t a regular, it still lessened their time together. But once Hinata finally got into the National Team himself, it almost took them back to their high school days. They were together almost every hour of the day.

It was when they finally got recruited to professional club after they graduated college that both of them truly tasted the bitter reality that they couldn’t be together every time.

Since then, they were never in the same team anymore. Only when there was Olympic or other International Volleyball Competition that they got to meet through National Team. They had transferred clubs multiple times for the past two years but luck hadn’t been on their side for them to be in the same team.

Sometimes Hinata would arrive in their home in Asakusa after two weeks of his team’s training camp, lying on their bed alone as he waited for Kageyama to come home. He had been waiting to go home, he missed it so much to the point of he got distracted during the last few days of practice. And when he was _finally_ home, the gnawing feeling in his stomach had not subsided.

He tried to do things he needed to do, doing his laundry of training clothes, cooking their dinner, taking a bath, but his heart strangely hadn’t settled.

Only when he heard the sound of the door unlocked, the knots in his stomach started to untangle. The sight of Kageyama coming into their room as he put down his large gym bag by the door brought air into him.

It wasn’t even fair, Hinata thought helplessly as he realized it, the blatant fact that glared at him...

It wasn’t that Hinata didn’t realize just how much he needed and depended on Kageyama. He knew that the codependency between them had started way back, but it kinda surprised him that the thought hadn’t crossed him until then.

Home was Kageyama.

It had always been.

And now that Hinata came home to his small dorm room, in Osaka, almost in the middle of the night, after the team had celebrated another new club member that just joined them two days ago, Hinata was buzzed and he was sure that the room spinned around him, all he wanted was to _go_ _home._

He was home, though, but he didn’t want this… box of a space that people called his room. He wanted…

Hinata plopped down onto his bed and crawl to the end of it, reaching for the brown box that he forced himself not to open every single time he found himself to be in an inconvenient time. But right now, he really, really just needed Kageyama.

Breathlessly, as well as hiccuping while trying to not puke the alcohol out of his system, Hinata opened the box and found the blue letter with **_Open When You’re Homesick_ ** handwriting on it.

Maybe it was because Hinata was drunk, but he kinda felt pathetic. After all, it was only around two weeks after he moved, but he was already homesick. Kageyama would laugh at him.

  


**_Shouyo,_ ** ****__  
**_  
_ _I hope you didn’t open this one earlier than other letters and not as soon as you received the package. Though I heard that the feeling of homesickness kicking in right after moving is pretty common, and knowing you, you'll probably feel it right away._**

**_I guess that's what make me worry about you the most, you being so far away from home, from me. I'm such a disaster myself, but you're more of a mess than me._**

**_I always admire (and kinda envy) you that you can befriend anyone in an instant. I remember I used to feel jealous all the time back then when you can just pull everyone into your space. You're just_ ** **_that_ ** **_likeable and I was stressed to swat away any unwanted people who just wanted something from you. But at the end of the day you never minded, didn't you, to be taken advantage by others. That's…. one of the things I love about you. The way you can make everyone your friends, make the space as your own._**

**_That's why, I hope when you're there, in a completely different city, meeting too many new people to count, you can make it and them as your new home, Shouyo._**

**_While this city doesn’t have you, and I can’t really call it home anymore, our house in Tokyo wouldn't go anywhere._ ** **_I'm_ ** **_not going anywhere either. We'll be here if you want to go home._**

**_I love you, Shouyo._**

**Tobio**

 

By the time Hinata closed his eyes, surrendered to sleep, with Kageyama's letter to his chest, he didn't know if he was asleep because of the booze in his system or because Kageyama's letter made his little room feel a little bit like home.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

Hinata’s face was on the verge of tearing apart by how wide he was smiling the whole day.

Honestly, when was the last time he felt like this? Just the sheer happiness and satisfaction for being chosen as regular. Probably when he finally made it into the first string of the National team after one year just sitting on the bench three years ago.

He wasn’t trying to brag but he could say that besides National Team, he was always chosen as a starting player immediately. Only now that he was in the new team that he got to be evaluated.

Maybe he got lucky again this time. After all, he matched well with Atsumu pretty fast since they had practiced together before in the National Youth Team camp. But Hinata wanted to believe that they chose him because they trusted his skill.

Hinata was vibrating with excitement. The first thing he wanted to do the moment the coach and the manager announced it to the team was to run to the locker room to grab his phone and call Kageyama. But it needed to wait until they finished practice and back to his room so he could scream to his boyfriend.

He was sure that he never ran so fast in his life, not even in matches when he tried to match Kageyama’s quick toss.

The door to his room almost broke when Hinata yanked it open and slammed it close too hard. He was glad that there was no one in the dorm yet or he would get yelled at, or worse, Yamato would make him clean the toilet for a whole week.

He threw his heavy gym bag to the floor, his hands scrambling into his bag, trying to find his phone in between his smelly, filthy sweat-soaked shirts and towels.

He must've looked funny right now, his face all red from running straight from the gym and above the sky excitement. Tsukishima named that type of expression of his as hungry dog, as if it was some kind of insult. Hinata thought it as a compliment though, dogs were cute.

In the midst of it all, Hinata’s eyes fell onto the box on his bed. The box that Hinata slept with every night because he really was just so fond of it more than anything else in his possession right now. Even more than his volleyball.

He almost fell when he got up to his bed, desperately grabbing the box and looking for the green-yellow envelope. At this point, Hinata had known by heart what type of letters they were only by the colors because that was how often he looked at the envelopes.

He tried to regulate his breathing as he opened the letter of **Open When You’re So Happy.**

 

**_Shouyo,_**

**_Honestly, if you opened this letter before you call me to tell me what make you so happy first I’m gonna be pissed. But then, I guess this is the purpose of these letters huh. Just don’t forget to call or Skype me after this._**

**_Maybe after reading this letter you’re going to tell me why you’re happy, but right now as I write this I don’t know what your reasons are, and that pisses me off. So I’m going to guess and get the satisfaction that I was right even BEFORE the happy things happened to you._**

**_You know, even before we dated, I was already aware just how easy it was to make you happy. You just… smiled at the simplest things._**

**_Anyway, so. The reason you’re happy right now, I’m gonna guess… it’s because of volleyball… isn’t it? Maybe you can do a lot of spike today, or maybe you manage to receive someone’s strong spike, or maybe you get compliments from the coach, or maybe… It’s not volleyball related?_**

**_Well, this is kinda difficult now that I think about it. You’re happy about a lot of things to begin with._**

**_And now I’m kinda bummed out that I’m not there with you to share your happiness._**

**_I’m happy that you’re happy, but… call me now, Shouyo._**

**_I love you._**

**_Tobio_ **

 

Hinata actually felt bad for smiling so hard now. Kageyama in this letter really did sound bummed at the end.

Thet of Kageyama being happy while Hinata wasn’t there with him would’ve hit him pretty badly too, but it wasn’t the time right now.

He had amazing news to share to his boyfriend.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

Hinata shoved the last piece of meat bun into his mouth while tears dripping onto his cheeks. His nose runny both from the crying and eating the hot steamy bun.

Today was definitely not Hinata’s day. Was it possible for someone to get so poor in luck in one day?

Or maybe it wasn’t about bad luck or anything. It was just Hinata finally _snapped_. He had been hanging onto the last sanity he had. He had no idea how much being away from home, from Kageyama, could take a toll on him.

What made him cry to begin with, anyway? Was it because his alarm didn’t ring today and he got lectured by his manager for waking up late? Was it because he ate breakfast too fast that his chest didn’t feel good? Was it because he kept failing to get a decent spike throughout the whole match today? Was it because his team losing in the practice match today?

Hinata didn’t even know. He couldn't think. In fact, he couldn’t even move from his position, sitting on the floor with his back to the closed door.

Hinata was tired, and his fingers unconsciously picked up his phone and pushed the number one dial call.

The answer to his call was almost immediate. Kageyama probably knew. Hinata had mentioned that they were having a practice match earlier, and he must’ve waited for Hinata’s update.

“Hey,” the sound of Kageyama’s deep, calm voice only made his tears flow out harder. “How is it?"

Stifling his cry, Hinata ended up in between moaning and choking. Kageyama recognized it immediately. After all, he was the one who was constantly _there_ whenever it happened.

“Shouyo, what’s wrong?” There was an edge on Kageyama’s voice, like it usually did when Kageyama was concern about something related to him.

Hinata really wanted to answer him. That everything was wrong. Well, probably not really, but his brain after today's unfortunate chain of events seemed to think like that. He couldn’t find his voice, although for once, Hinata didn’t feel like his chest being filled with sand. But the tears that kept rolling down his cheeks and chin, before it stained his shirt, were a lost cause. He couldn't do anything about that.

“Shouyo,” Kageyama said with absolute devastation, like he was pleading for Hinata to say something, stop crying, do anything. “You’re killing me. Just tell me that you’re safe, please.”

Hinata nodded, not caring that Kageyama couldn't see him. “I… am.”

"Okay," Kageyama exhaled. "Okay, good."

Then his boyfriend stopped talking, giving what Hinata needed the most, the silence and the steady sound of his breathing, grounding him. That was the most Hinata can get in this circumstances. Usually, Kageyama never said anything either, he would just bring Hinata close, holding him so tight until Hinata was sure that he wouldn't fall apart anymore, while Kageyama's world did by the seconds he listened to the sound of Hinata's painful sobs.

Now that Kageyama wasn't here. He had to be satisfied with just this.

_I'm here. It's okay. Everything's going to be okay._

It was weird how a complete silent and unsaid words could calm him.

When Hinata finally calmed enough to finally speak, Kageyama listened. Only when Hinata stopped, signaling that now it was okay for Kageyama to talk that his boyfriend started to give him the much needed assurance.

Kageyama didn't mention about it while they were talking, but when they cut their phone call for the night, Hinata immediately reached for the box.

He had stopped crying, but he wanted to be spoiled by his boyfriend with any mean possible.

 

**_Open When You’re Crying/Feel Like Crying_ **

 

**_Shouyo,_**

**_Before you read this letter, I want you to know if you ever, ever want to cry, you can just call me. But I know that sometimes you want to cry alone, and if this letter can help you then I have nothing but to offer my comfort through this, even though all I want right now is to be beside you._**

**_Remember the first time you cried in front of me in that historical stairs outside the gymnasium where we had our first match in middle school? Well, of course you do. That’s the first time we met but I already made you cry. What a bad boyfriend I was._**

**_And after that, you cried in front of me a lot of time, whether it was because of me or other things that made you emotional. After all, you’re someone who feels everything._**

**_And that’s okay. You can cry all you want, as long as you don’t let the reasons behind it break you._**

**_But I guess I don’t need to worry about that, huh? Because if something wanted to break you, it would’ve been broken you long ago, and then you wouldn’t be here. But instead, you survive until now, standing proud._**

**_You’re strong, Shouyo. I’m sure you already know that. But I’m here if you needed a reminder once in a while._**

**_I love you._**

**_Tobio_ **

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

“You know what?” Hinata huffed a breath. “Now you’re just being an asshole, Tobio. I’m done talking to you.”

_“Shou--”_

As Hinata tapped the end call button, the urge to go to the bathroom to throw his phone down the toilet and flush it away to God-knows-where almost overwhelmed him, although the feeling was almost rivaled by his urge to scream on the top of his lungs. But he knew it would mean the whole dorm would hear him.

So Hinata forced himself to stay quiet, his fingers gripped his phone too tight until he was half-afraid that his screen would crack in the midst of his anger.

Did Kageyama seriously just say _you have it easy now, Shouyo, you’re in the best club in the country, you have nothing to worry_ to him?

Kageyama. Out of all people.

He should've known best how it was the exact opposite of easy for Hinata all this time.

Hinata was usually good at handling his boyfriend being an asshole. Kageyama wasn’t as pompous as he was back in his teenage years, but that side of him came out once in a while, he just didn’t realize it and Hinata would be there to call out on his bullshit.

On this particular day though, Kageyama seemed to be having a hard time to even listening to him.

The boy did have a rough couple of days. He had wanted to move team for a while now and was confused about which team he wanted to transfer to. And while Hinata truly understood that he was tired and stressed, he wouldn’t just stay quiet when Kageyama said whatever he wanted.

Hinata sat on his worn bed. The phone in his hands kept vibrating and lighting up. Without looking at it, he knew that his boyfriend had been trying to reach him back after he hung up on him earlier.

By this time, Kageyama probably already knew what he did wrong. That he had fucked up.

Hinata probably shouldn't be this angry anyway. He knew that Kageyama didn't mean it. His boyfriend was just a dumbass like that. But. Hinata. Was. Pissed. And he had every right to be.

So he turned off his phone, letting himself to be childish for a moment. He threw the gadget under his pillow and immediately, almost on instinct, reached for his favorite box.

He just wanted to know what Kageyama had to say about this situation.

 

**_Open When You’re Angry or Frustrated with Me_ **

 

**_Shouyo,_**

**_I genuinely hope that you will never ever have to open this letter. But knowing myself, you probably will. I’ll just hope that it won’t be too often._**

**_So… why are you angry at me?_**

**_I probably should’ve not asked that question, huh? You always get angry when I wasn’t aware of what I do wrong. I’m stupid, I know. But you said that I’m your stupid, and we’re both stupid, so I guess that’s why you still stay with me._**

**_Shouyo, I’m sorry. My future self must’ve done something idiotic for you to open this letter. I know that I won’t cheat on you or leave you, so my guess is that I say something stupid? I hate to use this as an excuse, but please know that I don’t mean whatever things I say. You know how poor my skill is in talking._**

**_Shit, now that I've written it, I realized just how pathetic that excuse was. However poor I am in talking, that's not an excuse for me to hurt you with my words. I'm sorry, Shouyo._**

**_But I can say with my absolute confidence, that I would never say or do something to hurt you intentionally._**

**_You’re angry at me now, but if you have calmed down enough, can you pick up my phone call? I must've been worried sick by now. If you don't want to, it's okay too. My future self probably deserves it._**

**_I love you, Shouyo._**

**_Tobio_ **

 

By the time he finished reading the letter--and his gaze landed on his pillow, to where he hide his phone--Hinata knew that he had lost to Kageyama. He cursed himself for always, always so weak when it came to his boyfriend. But who could blame him, honestly?

It was only approximately five minutes since he hung up on Kageyama, and Hinata was ready to turn his phone back on, answering the endless call. Weak. But he did it anyway.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

“Excuse me! Excuse me, Hinata-san! Can we have your time for a minute? Is it true--”

“Hinata-san, can we get a few words about your boyfriend’s possible transfer--”

“Is it true that Kageyama was looking for a new team--”

“Some sources said that he wants to follow you, what do you think--”

With the help of Atsumu, his short stature hidden under the setter armpit, Hinata fought his way out of the sea of reporters outside of their gym. It wasn't only Atsumu, but almost the whole team automatically formed a protective wall around their smallest player.

They just won a match in a practice game against a visiting foreign club, which definitely deserved more to be reported. Hinata truly felt bad.

But years being under the spotlight of sport-biz, Hinata sadly wasn't too surprised by this sudden ambush either.

As soon as they were out of the swarming reporters and safe inside the team's bus, Atsumu let him go. The team's starting setter scowled, but not directed toward Hinata for sure. "They sure have a lot of money to travel here from Tokyo just to get a few of your 'words'," Atsumu emphasized on the 'words', imitating the reporter asking him questions earlier. "All that money, you would've thought that they'll use it to hire better reporters that can come up with better questions."

“If you think of it, interviewing Hinata is actually reasonable. He’s Kageyama’s boyfriend, and he’s a volleyball player too.” The team’s wing spiker, Hitoshi, commented when they sat on their respective seats in the bus. Hinata took his usual spot beside Atsumu.

“But, we’re _volleyball players_ ,” Atsumu insisted, his eyes went wide comically. “Not some celebrity. What’s with interviewing lovers?”

“Oy, Atsumu, just say that you’re jealous that they don’t give you this much coverage when you transferred,” Kaito yelled from the back.

Atsumu pointed at him, “That’s because Shinsuke isn’t a pro, that’s why they didn’t interview him. If he were, I’m sure--”

“See? You’re jealous.”

“I’m not!”

Hinata was grateful for his fellow teammates. They didn't make it a big deal out of it and the air remained light. When all of them ready to go and the bus started to drive them home, Hinata tugged on his setter's jacket jersey.

"Atsumu-san," he tried to put on his best sparkle eyes. "Thank you for earlier."

Atsumu gave him stink eyes before they turned soft. "Aww, Shouyo-kun, of course I'll protect you anytime." He pulled Hinata into a hug. "I did it for you, not for Tobio, okay?"

Hinata released a relieved breath. Maybe he and Atsumu now had truly become partners.

When they arrived at the dorm and retreated to their respective rooms, Hinata pondered at what would he told the reporters if he had to. While it was true that Kageyama had talked to him about his plan to change club since there were numerous teams who wanted him, Hinata really didn't know about the final decision. The best teams in Japan were happened to be Osaka-based, so it was a nice thought to consider Kageyama moving here.

If they asked him, of course Hinata would kill to have his boyfriend in the same city as him. But he knew that their relationship shouldn't be the main reason for Kageyama to transfer. At this point of their life, their short-term pro-athlete career was everything. After all, they probably only had more or less ten years to keep playing professionally. So Hinata knew that the decision for Kageyama transferring was never really because of him. It was simply Kageyama wanting to move forward.

It was the same as when Hinata decided coming to Osaka. They _both_ knew it needed to happen in order to fulfill the promise they made together in their first year of high school.

Be it in Osaka or anywhere else in the world, it all came down to Hinata would give Kageyama his absolute support if it meant they would be one step closer to their goal. To the top of the world.

Thinking about it only made Hinata smile wider.

They were truly, slowly getting there, right? It wasn't only his imagination?

When Hinata reached for his treasure box, reaching for one of the envelopes, the surge of emotion almost choked him…

… his happiness spilling.

 

**_Open When You’re Thinking About the Future_ **

 

**_Shouyo,_**

**_When I think about the future, I guess I'm one of those people who's lucky enough to already know what I want in life._**

**_Since I was sixteen, the future has always been equal to volleyball and you._**

**_I want to play volleyball as long as I could, that's obvious. And you, I want to be with you forever, that's also obvious. That's the picture perfect of future that I can ever imagine._**

**_I'm not gonna lie, having you so far away from me right now… I never thought of that possibility. I was scared, Shouyo. You know me better than myself, I sure would be lost without you. I know that you're there for me, only not physically, but it scared me nonetheless._**

**_By the time you opened this letter, (I don't know if I already told you or not but I hope I did, I don't want you to know first from a piece of letter I wrote in advance), I'm probably already in the process of planning to move. I want to be close to you physically, that's one of biggest reasons, for sure. But I also want to run after you. You ran so fast, so far away, and if I didn't try hard enough, I know that you'll leave me behind even further._**

**_So I'm not gonna lose._**

**_I'll follow you anywhere, Shouyo. I want to fail with you if I have to fail. And I want to succeed with you if I have to succeed._**

**_I love you._**

**_Tobio._ **

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Two more minutes.

Hinata was vibrating, his ass barely touched his mattress, his eyes focused on the clock on the wall, his fingers drummed on his knees as he gripped the envelope tightly, making it crumpled.

Ninety seconds.

Honestly, how could two minutes go by so slowly when he needed it to be fast. Waiting for the clock to hit the 12AM mark was never this grueling. And he wasn't even this excited because of his birthday, it was rather for the letter waiting to be opened.

Sixty seconds.

Kageyama's letters had helped him through the most difficult times during his first two months in this new city. Never in a million years that Hinata would've thought that his boyfriend was able to pull this kind of complicated and romantic gesture for him. But Kageyama always did it, catching him off guard either when he didn't expect it or when he needed it the most.

Thirty seconds.

His first time staying so far away from everyone, his first time having a long distance relationship, was nothing sort of easy, but Kageyama made it so much better, so much bearable.

Fifteen seconds.

Hinata looked down at the letter. The color of the envelope was orange, the same shade of his hair. Other than that, it looked nothing out of ordinary. Except the fact that this would be the last unopened letter. The last letter from Kageyama.

**_Open When It’s June 21st (Right on the midnight)_ **

 

_00:00 AM_

 

Hinata took a deep breath. And he opened it.

  


**_Shouyo,_**

**_Happy birthday._**

**_This is weird. For the last seven years, I always say it directly to you. But I guess this one's special. And here I am, writing you a sort of birthday greeting card._**

**_Okay, let me start._**

**_Hinata Shouyo. I wish you the happiest birthday._**

**_Never did I spent a second of my life not thanking the Gods for just… you. Being born, being healthy, being happy, being a part of my life, being mine._**

**_I know that you already know this because I said this to you in every chance I got. But I'm gonna say it again. Thank you for being you, for saving me, for loving me. You make me the happiest person, and I hope I do the same._**

**_From now on, I'm sure that only good things will come your way, and I hope I'll always be there to witness it._**

**_If I were to be born in the next life, I want to be the one closest to you once more. Someone that could make you laugh, and laugh with you, and to love and loved by you._**

**_Thank you for coming into my life, Shouyo._**

**_Now if you're finished reading the letter, fold it and put it back inside the letter. And open your door. I'm outside._**

**_I love you._**

**_Tobio_ **

  


Hinata leapt to his feet even before he read the _I love you_ , so he couldn't even care less to grant what his boyfriend had asked. Screw folding and put the letter back inside the envelope.

Kageyama was outside? Kageyama was here? No way. NO WAY.

Hinata didn't know why suddenly his room felt so big. His steps couldn't bring him fast enough to the door and when he did get there, he slammed his shoulder to the wall out of excitement. It stung so bad, and Kageyama was probably gonna yell at him later because _it's dangerous, Shouyo._ But Kageyama was here. Kageyama was here?!

He opened the door too hard, too impatient. And then he froze.

Right there. Kageyama really stood there in front of him, right outside his room.

Hinata barely noticed that Atsumu was also there, smirking at him, but also looked happy for him. He didn't stay though, he just waved and went away. Later when Hinata was no longer out of his mind, he would realize that Atsumu was the one who helped Kageyama sneak inside the dorm in the middle of the night.

And Kageyama. God, Kageyama.

"Tobio…"

Hinata might as well not breathing. And Kageyama didn't look any better. His face was so vulnerable, his eyes ran through a lot of emotion, his lips trembled, and really, Kageyama didn't need to say anything. Hinata _knew._ Because he felt the same.

There were so many things he wanted to do right now, but his body ended up moving on its own. He threw himself at Kageyama, and almost on instinct, Kageyama opened his arms, welcomed him in a tight, desperate embrace as Hinata latched his entire body onto him, his arms wrapped around Kageyama's neck and his legs around his waist.

Hinata closed his eyes, and for awhile he didn't know what happened until he realized that all he did was just inhaling, smelling Kageyama's neck, all the while Kageyama brought them inside the room and closed the door.

Only then that Kageyama put him down, and Hinata broke into a million pieces, his tears spilling and his words inaudible.

"Happy birthday, Shouyo," Kageyama choked into his hair, his hands cupping his cheeks. "It's okay, shh, it's okay."

"You're here," Hinata wailed, his sobs muffled into Kageyama's chest. "Tobio, you…"

"I'm here, yes." Kageyama pulled away a little, only to drop a kiss on his temple, on his cheeks, on his eyes, on his jaws. His hands ran through Hinata's hair as he stared at him in wonder. "Dumbass, Shouyo, what are you doing here in a place I don't know?"

Hinata let out a laugh in between his cries. He shook his head, as he closed his eyes once again, marveling at the feeling of Kageyama's lips ghosting over his. "I don't even know, Tobio." Kageyama kissed him once. "I don't even know."

Kageyama kissed him twice.

And thrice.

And…

  
  
  
  
 

**Author's Note:**

> I initially wanted to write at least ten letters but oh well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HINATA!


End file.
